JIS: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, says the Government is undertaking an “unprecedented level of work” in the upgrading of school plants.

 

He said that just over 400 educational institutions have benefited from major repairs or expansion over the past two and a half years.

 

The scope of works, which include building of new classrooms, repair and upgrading of canteens, has enabled several institutions to transition to single shift.

 

“There are so many activities to be done, because the need was so great, and I was insistent that we must push the resources, push the programme because schools were asking for a lot of assistance,” he noted.

 

“We have had to ask some schools to take on some of their own procurement and management of projects,” he added.

 

Minister Reid was delivering the keynote address at the official opening of a learning centre at the Rock River Primary School in Clarendon on January 29.

 

The $10 million facility was built by the Japanese Government in partnership with the Rock River Foundation.

 

It includes a library and computer room equipped with computer terminals, laptops, multimedia projector, teaching equipment and learning aids, and will benefit the students and the wider community.

 

Minister Reid hailed the partnership to construct the learning centre and the continued investment by Japan in Jamaica’s education sector.

 

For his part, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator the Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr., welcomed the new facility, which he noted, will benefit the entire Rock River community.

 

Meanwhile, Japan’s Ambassador to Jamaica, His Excellency Hiromasa Yamazaki, noted that the project is part of the Grant Assistance for Grass-Roots Human Security initiative, which provides grants for community development projects across various sectors.

 

He said that his Government is committed to investing in education in order to empower people “so that they can lead sustainable lives and livelihoods.”

 

CAPTION: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid (centre), and Japan’s Ambassador to Jamaica, His Excellency Hiromasa Yamazaki (right), point to the plaque dedicating the learning centre at the Rock River Primary School in Clarendon, at the official opening of the facility on January 29. Looking on at left is Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator the Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr.